Oral examination

Social and Political Philosophy (PHIL 241)
Instructor: Sandy Berkovski

Bilkent University
Fall 2010

• Oral examination will have the weight of 25%.
• The exam will be conducted on a lottery basis. Each student will randomly draw two questions from the list below.
• Clarifying or additional questions can be put to the student in the course of the exam.
• No use of books or any other auxiliary materials will be permitted. Draft sheets will be retained by the examiner.
• When: 8-Jan-11, 10:00-13:00. Where: BZ06.

Exam questions

1. How do the Laws try to convince Socrates to stay in jail?
2. Outline and explain Socrates's response to Crito's offer of escape.
3. Why does Socrates find Polemarchus's definition of justice unsatisfactory?
4. What is Thrasymachus' challenge to Socrates? Explain the (possible) difference between his two speeches.
5. Outline and explain the three arguments that Socrates deploys against Thrasymachus in Book I.
6. `You mustn't expect us to paint the eyes so beautifully that they no longer appear to be eyes at all.' Explain.
7. Why are there no detailed laws in the Republic?
8. What are the parts of the soul? How are they related in the virtuous soul?
9. Was Plato a feminist?
10. Why should the Guardians share their wives and children?
11. Why is the tyrant the unhappiest man of all?
12. `The purpose of justice is to make people happy.' Evaluate this claim in connection with Plato's arguments in the Republic.
13. Why neither pleasure, nor honour, nor virtue can be identified with happiness?
14. Why should no man be judged happy while he lives?
15. Is virtue inborn? Why?
16. What is the analogy between a virtuous man and an artist? What is the difference between them?
17. How can we decide whether a particular action is virtuous? Sketch a procedure by referring to a specific example.
18. Is it true that a courageous man should sometimes act cowardly?
19. Is a noble death good for the person who dies such death?
20. Can we be responsible for an action made under a terrible threat?
21. `Acting by reason of ignorance is different from acting in ignorance.' Explain.
22. What is the difference between the ignorance of the right purpose, of universals, and of particulars? How is this issue related to moral responsibility?
23. Why do we deliberate about means, but not about ends?
24. Why is each man responsible for his state of character?
25. `Pleasure is the good.' What is wrong with this claim, according to Aristotle?
26. Are there bad pleasures?
27. Why is the contemplative life the highest form of happiness?
28. Are we justified in thinking that the past was better than the present?
29. `The way to reform a state is to bring it back to its founding principles.' Explain.